GeoCorps Program Facts

Geoscientists of all levels are eligible and encouraged to
apply.
This includes, but is not limited to, undergraduate students, graduate
students, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, and
retirees.

Positions are available in a wide variety of geoscience and geoscience-related fields.

GeoCorps participants receive a minimum of a $2,750 living stipend for a 3-month project, plus on-site housing or an additional housing allowance if housing is not provided.

Spring/summer positions are announced every December and applications are due to GSA by February. Fall/winter positions are announced every May and applications are due to GSA by July.

Applicants MUST be a member of GSA to apply. Not a member? Join GSA Now!

Participants are chosen through a competitive selection process.

Finalists are interviewed by phone and selected by the supervisor who will manage position on site.

Position offers are made by the Park/Forest/BLM in March for spring/summer positions and in August for fall/winter positions.

A few GeoCorps positions offer a travel allowance to help cover the costs of traveling to the work site at the start of the position and traveling home at the end of the position. If a travel allowance is available, it will be stated in the position description. Most positions do not provide travel allowances.

Although GeoCorps has no official program to assist with student loans, participants in GeoCorps may qualify, in certain circumstances, for some level of loan deferment or forbearance during the months spent in GeoCorps. Please see the Federal Student Aid website for eligibility details.

Program Description

Through the GeoCorps America Program, GSA places all levels of geoscientists — college students, professionals, and retirees — in temporary summer positions with the National Parks Service, BLM, and the USDA Forest Service.
Land managers send position descriptions to GSA, GSA posts the positions and recruits applicants through the GSA web site, the site supervisor screens applicants for those who qualify, interview top candidates by phone, and make the final selection. Participants receive a living stipend and on-site housing (or housing allowance) during their geoscience project assignment.

The GeoCorps program dates back to 1997 when, through a partnership with the National Park Service’s Geoscientists-In-the-Parks (GIP) program, GSA placed two college-level students in summer internships in the national parks. By the year 2000, the program was redesigned and renamed the GeoCorps™ America Program. Since then, the number of geoscience projects has steadily increased across the US.

The need for geoscience expertise in America's National Parks, National Forests, and BLM lands is great. In many cases, geoscience is not adequately addressed in education, resource management, geological hazards mitigation, and research on public lands. The Geological Society of America, through the GeoCorps program, strives to increase the number of geoscientists on-the-ground contributing to the research and protection of geologic resources and developing education and outreach activities.

GeoCorps remains closely linked to the NPS Geoscientists-In-the-Parks (GIP) program. Thus, GeoCorps participants at NPS locations are also considered "GIPs". Examples of work done for the NPS by past GeoCorps participants/GIPs can be viewed on the GIP website.

GeoCorps Program Goals

The goals of the GeoCorps program are to:

Increase the number of geoscientists to conduct education, research, and resource management projects on America's public lands;

Enhance resource managers' and policy makers' geoscience knowledge, so that better decisions will be made regarding the management of natural resources and mitigation of geological hazards;

Provide hands-on geoscience experience and internships for students who are working toward careers in industry, academia, or land management;

Offer seasoned geoscientists the opportunity to share their knowledge with land managers and assist with on-the-ground projects.

Raise the public's knowledge and awareness of the value of geoscience resources on public lands;

Instill a public land ethic in current and future generations of geoscientists by having the opportunity to learn and understand federal land management;

Enhance the diversity of geoscientists working on America's public lands.

Guest Scientist Program Overview

The GeoCorps Guest Scientist Program has evolved as a branch of GeoCorps
America. Traditionally, most GeoCorps participants have been relatively new geoscientists or geoscientists-in-training
for whom it is beneficial to spend the summer at a National
Park, National Forest, or BLM Unit gaining on-the-ground experience in geology
and geology-related fields. Their knowledge and skills enable them to assist public lands
in discrete geoscience projects.

However, many public lands have needs for a higher level of expertise, or for
a longer-term project than a three-month GeoCorps project can offer. To address
these needs, we have launched a new component of Geocorps known as the Guest
Scientist Program. Through this program, public land managers are able to submit geoscience and
geoscience-related projects which require up to one year’s time and/or a
specialization of expertise within a specific geoscience field. The GeoCorps
Participants of these higher needs projects are classified as Guest Scientists.

Any qualified candidate that meets all of the eligibility requirements can apply for Guest Scientist positions. Previous GeoCorps participants are not eligible to apply for regular three-month GeoCorps positions, but they are eligible to apply for Guest Scientist positions.

GEOCORPS DIVERSITY INTERNSHIPS Program Overview - NEW!

The Geological Society of America and its federal partners—the National
Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land
Management—are proud to announce the development of an exciting new
facet of the GeoCorps America program—GeoCorps Diversity
Internships! GeoCorps Diversity Internships are intended to increase diversity within the geosciences. The principal goal of the GeoCorps America Diversity Internships is to stimulate interest in careers in geoscience research and education among groups underrepresented in geoscience professions. This program introduces participants to careers in the federal government and can help create a federal workforce that better reflects the diverse make-up of the U.S. population. Application to the program is open to all qualified people who meet the eligibility requirements. All applicants are given equal opportunity and selection decisions will be based solely on job-related factors. For more information, see the GeoCorps Diversity Internships web-page.

GEOCORPS AMERICAN INDIAN INTERNSHIPS Program Overview - NEW!

GSA and its partners are also pleased to present the new GeoCorps American Indian
Internships! GeoCorps American Indian Internships were developed to increase the participation of American Indians in the geosciences. This program introduces American Indian participants to careers in the federal government and provides real-world experience with geoscience research and education. American Indians with a background in geoscience and/or related fields, such as natural resources, physical sciences, environmental science, computer
science, education/interpretation, recreation management, land
management, and others, are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application to the program is open to all qualified people who meet the eligibility requirements. All applicants are given equal opportunity and selection decisions will be based solely on job-related factors. For more information, see the GeoCorps American Indian Internships web-page.

GeoCorps Participants and Locations

Read Field Stories from geoscientists who have participated in the GeoCorps program.
See the list of all the public lands that have hosted GeoCorps projects.